Contributed photo by McMinn County Sheriff’s Office / Bradley Cole Steadmon, 23, of Sweetwater, Tenn.A Sweetwater, Tennessee, man is behind bars on $375,000 bond on three counts of attempted murder and felony evading arrest after allegedly firing shots at McMinn County sheriff’s deputies early Friday during a pursuit.
Bradley Cole Steadmon, 23, is also charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery in connection with the robbery call that initially drew law enforcement to a home on County Road 323 on Friday.
Officials in the McMinn Court Circuit Court Clerk’s Office said Steadmon has been arraigned on the charges and indicated to the court that he planned to hire an attorney. Court officials said Steadmon had not yet named his legal counsel on the court record.
Early Friday, McMinn County deputy Todd Levi answered a call reporting an armed robbery and possible kidnapping at Morgan’s junkyard on County Road 323 that took place the previous night, according to McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy. Levi notified other officers of the suspect’s name and the description of the small white car that Steadmon was believed to have taken the previous night, Guy said.
Just after 9 a.m. Friday, Sgt. Kevin Grey, Detective Jared Price and Deputy Doug Reed located the vehicle at a home on County Road 1340. While deputies were speaking with the property owner, Guy said, Steadmon ran outside and fled in the white car.